ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN CZECH REPUBLIC

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for decision-making in
the field of international co-operation. Special responsibility for
decision-making process for the sustainable development has no ministry or
agency.The Council on Sustainable Development was founded
by the Ministry of Environment in July 2000. It is a consultative body to the
Minister of Environment. It aims to link economic and social spheres with
environmental issues and establish an open approach to cooperation between
various social groups and public participation in planning and implementing the
development of local areas and society as a whole.

The
Council on Sustainable Development was founded by the Ministry of Environment in July
2000. It is a consultative body to the Minister of Environment. It aims to link economic
and social spheres with environmental issues and establish an open approach to cooperation
between various social groups and public participation in planning and implementing the
development of local areas and society as a whole.

There are no laws, regulations and
directives concerning cooperation for sustainable development at sub-regional,
regional, and international levels in the Czech republic. Most of environmental
laws work with the term of sustainable development in their general part, but
there is no special law for the objective mentioned above.

The
environmental legislation began to develop at the beginning of the 1990’s. The
legislative framework ranges from Article 7 of the Constitution of the Czech
Republic which requires thrifty exploitation of natural resources and the
protection of natural assets, through the Act of the Environment No 17/1992
Coll. and the Act on Environmental Impact Assessment (on EIA) No 244/1992 Coll.,
to encompasses the Clean Air Act, the Act on Waste and related regulations, acts
and decrees on nature and landscape protection, the amendments to the
Construction Code and its implementing regulations, the Act on Protection of
Agricultural Land, etc.

Decision-Making:
Strategies,
Policies and Plans

Policy based
on the principle of sustainable development is not a policy only for the
sectoral competence of the Ministry of Environment. The creation of an
environmental policy and fulfillment of its objectives must be based on close
cooperation with other economic and social sectors of the national economy,
including industry, agriculture, transport and communications, regional
development, health, foreign affairs, education and other sectors. In addition,
there is continuous cooperation with members of universities, professional
institutions, public administrative bodies,nongovernmental nonprofit organizations, sectoral industry associations
and business.

In
compliance with the Foreign Policy Concept of the Czech Republic and with the
State Environmental Policy, environmental protection and provision for
sustainable development are global issues requiring the joint efforts of all the countries
of the world and the preparation of both global and national strategies and approaches.

For example, the memorandum between the
Ministry Of Environment of the Czech Republic and the Ministry for Protection of
the Environment, Natural Resources and Forestry of the Republic of Poland and
the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Protection and Reactors Safety
of FRG on exchange of immersion data from the Black Triangle and small
investments projects to improve the state of the environment at joint borders
(signed on September 17, 1996).

In 1991, the Czech Republic initiated the creation
of the long-term program “An Environment for Europe” (Dobříš Assessment), which has since become
the main forum for pan European conceptual discussions in the area of
environmental policy.As a member
of the OECD, the Czech Republic participates in the creation of conceptual
supra-national documents prepared in OECD as a starting point for the search for
a balance amongst the economic, social and environmental aspects of development
in OECD member countries (participation in the project “Environmental Outlook
and Strategy”, participation in the “Three-year OECD project for sustainable
development”).

The Czech Republic plays an important role in
international preparation of implementation of the Aarhus Convention. It is a
leading country in the task force for preparation of Pollution Release and
Transfer Registers – PRTR, cooperates in the action working group for
developing instruments for implementation of the convention. The Czech Republic
plays an important role in the area of development of an international legally
binding document dealing with Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).

The Council of the Czech Republic for Social and Economic
Strategy was established in May 1999. It is the advisory, initiative and
coordinating body of the Government. Emphasis was placed on the necessity to
create a national economy based on the creation of a stable body for economic
strategy and development. It coordinates project concerning Czech social
development and cooperation on departmental and regional conceptions

.

Decision-Making:
Major
Groups involvement

The
creation of an environmental policy and fulfillment of its objectives must also be the
result of continuous cooperation with members of universities, professional institutions,
public administrative bodies, nongovernmental nonprofit organizations, sectoral industry
associations and business.

Some
local governments are involved in the decision making
process on international and regional cooperation for sustainable developmentthrough their associations
(e.g. Union of towns and villages) and throughtrans-border
cooperation programs and projects.

NGOs
and other groups can be involved in decision-making processes through e.g. EIA process.
Local authorities as far as NGOs are active in developing of the programs and projects
focused on sustainable development  they prepare the projects and try to change some
of the conservative ways of the decision making process. The national government mostly
co-operate within these projects as a supervisor and co-funding body.

The scientific institutions (the Academy of Science of the Czech Republic, universities
and research institutes) have their roles in formulating environmental research and
development priorities and in the provision of expert support to sectoral
programmes.

Programmes and Projects

The
involvement of the Czech Republic in the protection of the global environment and in
implementing the principles of sustainable development includes the voluntary
contributions to UNEP and GEF and some special projects in bilateral and multilateral
development cooperation, financed through the Czech Republics programme of
development assistance.

Since
1994 the Czech Republic has implemented a number of projects with the support of GEF/The
World Bank to promote project based mechanism that would help the country to comply with
the international commitments and reinforce national environmental policy.

Incooperation with GEF the following projects
objectives were set up:

-Reduce
global concentrations of green house gases and thus minimize the adverse impact of climate
change;

The major
objective of the project was to decrease the emissions of green house gases. This
objective would be achieved by means of increasing the efficiency and reliability of the
heat supply to the city of Kyjov, glass producer and regional grid and power supply to the
regional grid through intensified use of waste process heat generated at glass
manufacturing facility. The project will achieve local and global environmental benefits
by reducing the share of coal and lignite in a standard coal fired power plant.

The principal objective of the project was to assist the
Czech Republic in the phase-out of ozone depleting substances in a cost effective manner
as mandated by the Montreal Protocol.

-Protect and strengthen representative ecosystem
biodiversity in its Trans-boundary areas

The project was
designed to develop a range of activities including management techniques for a variety of
representative ecosystems, environmental education and community support for protected
areas and sustainable management of forest system, to develop revenue generation
mechanisms for the protected areas, interactions with local communities and land managers
sustainable development strategies, to support project management coordination efforts
between the Ministry of Environment and project areas, training, improvement of
infrastructure and the administration of an NGO biodiversity small grant programme.

-Prepare the National Biodiversity strategy and action
plan

The
objective of the project was to prepare national biodiversity strategy and action plan for
the protection and sustainable use of biological diversity and to prepare the first
national report for submission to the Conference of the Parties. The project identified
the objectives and mechanisms of cross-sector coordination at the local, regional and
national levels.

Major
technical cooperation programmes on education for sustainable development include:

Meteorology and hydrology (Central and East European
countries, New Independent States, Africa, South America) - Realization of various training courses in
meteorology, hydrology and air quality control

Development of sustainable agriculture production
(vineyards and orchards) in Republic of Moldova
- Introduction of the Czech biological pest control system for vineyards and orchards

Capacity building in cleaner production in Croatia - Establishment
of the Croatian Cleaner Production Center, training of local professionals, implementation
of demonstration projects in industrial enterprises

Ozone depleting substances phase-out project in Ukraine -Introduction
of advanced cost-effective technology and know-how on leakage-free handling of ODS at the
cooling equipment service

Geological and environmental works in Mongolia - Environmental
risk analysis of a former Soviet army base, hydro geological survey and hydro geological
prospecting of ground water resources, geological and geochemical mapping in south part of
Zaaltaj Gobi.

Status

On the basis of Decision No. 153 of March 15 1995, the Government of the Czech Republic
approved the provision of foreign aid to developing countries and countries in transition:
the Ministry of the Environment prepared seven projects of bilateral cooperation (total
amount CZK 24.8 million) and eight projects of multilateral cooperation (total amount CZK
25.5 million) especially in the area of hydrology, meteorology and protection of the ozone
layer - to be completed in 1997.

It is essential to create economical incentives to bring question of sustainability as
a social prestige, promote media interest in sustainable development questions and
realize campaigns to increase public awareness about the importance to make development of
human society sustainable. On local level organize roundtables with professional
facilitators, training for local representatives and officers, to put the sustainable
principles as a basic for all sector policy  to ensure integrate approach at
national and local level. Differentiate the work according to interests of the main focus
groups.

Changing trends over the past five years, in terms of percentage of growth and the
nature of cooperation in external financial resources, are as follows:

ODA
(bilateral and multilateral)

1996
..356.5 mil. CZK

1997. ..365.4 mil. CZK

1998 ...326.0 mil. CZK

1999 ...326.0 mil. CZK

2000 ...345.0 mil. CZK

Data only
for Ministry of Environment:

ODA projects
coordinated by the Ministry of Environment amounts to 30.5 mil CZK (750 000 USD) in 2000.
There are 8projects realized in 2000.

Estimation:

Natural resource protection  10 %

Poverty eradication  70 %

Capacity building - 50 %

Policy formulation, planning, governance
 10 %

Challenges

The biggest challenge for capacity-building,
education, training and awareness raising is the area of co-operation with media
at local and national level.A
concept of environmental enlightenment, education and public awareness
(hereinafter EEEA) was drawn up in 1998 by the Ministry of Environment. The
State Programme of EEEA should be approved by Government this year.In the sphere of legislation, law No. 123/98 Coll., on public access to
environmental information, was approved and came into force.

The participation of the Czech Republic in the activities of
OECD involves activities connected with transfer of experience and knowledge to OECD
non-member countries (especially to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and to the
countries of the former Soviet Union).

Science and technical capacities of the Czech Republic can be
used to protect environment and improve its quality in other countries. It also can be
used international
seminars and meetings, internet conferences, exchanges experiences, materials and
information, information systems, training, more effective use existing administration
structures, funding, newsletters, work with lay public, etc.

Capacity-building,
Education, Training and Awareness-raising

Czech
Environmental Institute prepares and distributes Newsletter Local Agenda 21 in the
Czech Republic which is concerned on the issue of sustainable development,
implementing Local Agenda 21, information about international cooperation in this field,
exchange of experiences, reviews, methodologies etc. The Newsletter is distributed by
electronic mail to all regional branches of the Ministry of Environment, to all district
offices, Administrations of National Parks and Protected Landscape Areas of the Czech
Republic and to municipalities, NGOs, high schools, universities and to members of
networks working in the field of sustainable development. Some
of these subscribers distribute the Newsletter to the other co-operating organizations and
institutions within their regions.

The
Czech Environmental Institute organizes workshops and seminars for state and local
administrators concerning on implementation of Agenda 21 in local conditions and focused
on environmental education and public participation. These workshops had been supported by
the British Council for the last three years. The
network of consulting centers in the Czech Republic was founded in 1997. It promotes
preventative protection of the environment and participates in defining environmental
consulting as a profession.

In
the year 2000 Institute for Environmental Policy in co-operation with Via Foundation Czech
Republic and Westminster Foundation for Democracy realizes the project Support of
Media Interest in Local Agenda 21 and NGOs´ activities in this field.

In the sphere of legislation, law No. 123/98 Coll., on public access to environmental
information, was approved and came into force. Nongovernmental
organizationsprovide services for schools
and schooling facilities in the area of environmental enlightenment and education.
Nongovernmental organization and environmental consulting
centers organize country-wide
and regional enlightment projects (competitions, workshops, etc.). The Ministry of
Environment participate on these actions.

In
additional to traditional universities in Prague, Olomouc and Brno, a number of others in
Usti nad Labem, Plzen, Ceské Budejovice, Hradec Kralove and Ostrava also offer
environmental studies. Ecology and environmental protection are included to a far greater
degree in the curricula of secondary and junior schools and in preschool education. The
range of environmental journals has increased, environmental subjects appear far more
frequently in the daily press, radio and television and the interest of the population in
the environment is gradually increasing.

In
this connection, theres a marked absence of regular educational programmes on the
radio and public television concerned with ecology, the environment and its protection.

It
is essential to implement the principle of sustainable development and to incorporate
environmental considerations into sectoral policies and into environmental education,
training and public awareness.

Areas:
training in sustainable development principles, practical steps in implementing Local
Agenda 21, international structures and their role, role of local authorities in European
and worldwide policy, languages skills, presentation skills, how to work with media,
communication skills, Logframe  project management etc.

The
measures can be: international meetings, seminars and training, pressure on national
government to support these areas, methodological materials, abroad studies, capacity
building, networking

Information

The Ministry of Environment and civic organizations concerned with
nature protection and environmental enlightments issue a number of newsletters, magazines,
publications and other special information material on this subject.

Other
activities include informing the public through the internet and mass media, issuing of
periodical publications, promotion (exhibitions), publicizing of the National Program of
Labeling Environmentally Friendly Products.

Laws in force are opened to public on the pages of the Ministry of
Interior (www.mvcr.cz). Government bills being debated
in the Parliament and the timetable of their hearings can be found on the pages of the
Lower House (www.psp.cz). The acts publication surveys,
references to ordinances and decrees can be found on www.ekolist.cz.

-Publication of newsletters,
bulletins, etc.;

The texts of newsletters and
bulletins can be found on the pages of the Ministry of the Environment (www.env.cz).

-Open forum for discussion;

Discussion can be administered in the framework of e-mail
conference on www.ecn.cz

All governments bills are
distributed to NGOs for their comments, amendments.

-Other means (please explain).

The Act No. 123/1998 Coll. on the right
to environmental information.

Research
and Technologies

UNDP
Project Towards Sustainable Development of the Czech republic: Building National
Capacities is being realized  the final goal of this project is to enlarge
capacity of institutions and inhabitants of the Czech republic to analyze, understand,
evaluate and realize the ideas of sustainable development. The project concentrates on
environmental problems and on sustainable development which is oriented toward cooperation
of the Czech Republic and UNDP for the period 1997-2000.

To
successfully execute appropriate and workable framework for technology transfer,
cooperation between the private sector and governments is essential, as is input from
academic research communities.

Czech
Environmental Institute with support of the British Council realized three year project
Cooperation with British lecturers in implementing the principles of Agenda 21 under
conditions prevalent in the Czech Republic (1997  1999). One of the main aims
of this project was to create a network of state and local officers who can become
trainers and facilitators able to facilitate Local Agenda 21 processes and transfer and
disseminate Britishexperiences and
information about Local Agenda 21 processes within their regions/district/community.
Training that were realized have had a strong impact to participants activities in the
field of sustainable development (more detail information, outputs and impacts of this
project, database and a map of the network are available on www.ceu.cz/edu).

Czech Environmental
Institute is also involved in IUCN project Effective Communication for Biodiversity
Conservation which is focused on capacity building of experts in communication
within 5 CEEC.

Several
people from the Czech Republic are members of the Commission on Education and
Communication IUCN which is networking expert of the field over the whole world.

The annual budget provided
for the ODA is about 340 mil. CZK (9 mil. USD) which amounts to 0,017 % GDP. The ODA
provision is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Line ministries are
responsible for appraisal, implementation and assessment of the individual projects in the
field of their competence.

The Ministry of
Environment annually implements development projects in the financial amount of ca 30 mil.
CZK (750 000 USD).

The main areas of the
assistance are implementation of global conventions (protection of biodiversity,
protection of the ozone layer), cleaner production, sustainable agriculture, geological
survey, hydrogeology.

The Czech Republic is now in process of preparation a new development assistance
strategy. Within the strategy focus on specific countries/regions and targeted areas (e.g.
energy, environmental protection, health, etc.) will be formulated.

There are many
opportunities to attend international seminars, training or conference but most of
interested people do not have enough money for that especially from state research
institutes.

Cooperation

The Czech Republic is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Central Europe
Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and the customs union with Slovakia, UNEP, UNCSD, UNECE, OECD, WMO, WHO, UNIDO, etc. with activities in the sphere of the environment and
sustainable development

As
a member of the OECD, the Czech Republic participates in the creation of conceptual
supra-national documents prepared in OECD as a starting point for the search for a balance
amongst the economic, social and environmental aspects of development in OECD member
countries (participation in the project Environmental Outlook and Strategy,
participation in the Three-year OECD project for sustainable development).

The
Czech Republic as a member of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) started to provide Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 1995. The annual budget
provided for the ODA is about 340 mil. CZK
(ca 9 mil. USD)
which amounts to 0,017 % GDP. In 2000 64 ODA projects are being realized. Czech ODA is
predominantly provided on bilateral basis, ca 12 % of the development projects are
realized in cooperation with international organizations (UNEP, UNIDO, UNDP, UNESCO, FAO,
World Meteorological Organisation).

The ODA provision (as well as provision of
humanitarian aid) is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Line ministries are
responsible for management of the individual projects in the field of their competence.
Annually an ODA Plan is prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in cooperation
with the line ministries. The Czech Republic held the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the
World Bank in September 2000.

The
Czech Republic provides technical assistance in the field of geology, meteorology,
hydrology and air protection as well as professional training in the framework of official
development assistance.

The Czech Republic is a party to
most relevant conventions  the UN Framework Convection on Climate Change (including
the Kyoto Protocol), the Convection on Biological Diversity, the Vienna Convection on
Protection of the Ozone Layer, the Washington Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora, the Basel Convection on the Control of
Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, the Ramsar Convection on
Wetlands of International Importance and the Bonn Convection on Protection of Migrating
Species of Wild Fauna and also a number of conventions negotiated in a European framework.
The Czech Republic has not yet acceded to theConvention on Combating Desertification.
However, cooperation strategy with Countries Affected by Major Drought
and/or Spreading of Deserts with Special Emphasis on Africa is being
prepared.

* * *

This information was provided by the Government of to the 5th and 9th
Sessions of the
United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: March 2001.

CHANGING CONSUMPTION PATTERNS

Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies

No information is available

Decision-Making:
Legislation
and Regulations

The Czech Republic considers the application of economic instruments an extremely
important means to change production and consumption patterns, and is exerting constant
efforts for their broader implementation. There are different forms of support given
by the State environmental authorities, e.g. eco-labeling, taxing environmentally
friendly goods at a lower rate of VAT, and other tax levying. On the other hand,
environmentally unfriendly productions are penalized by emission charges and other
economic instruments, like tax differentiations.

In addition to economic instruments, an effective instrument has been the negotiation
on voluntary agreements between the State administration and pollution producers.

Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans

No information is available

Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement

No information is available

Programmes and Projects

No information is available

Status

After 1989, the transition to a market-oriented system in the Czech Republic was
connected with the emulation of traditional consumption patterns of liberal market
economics. That is why the State environmental authorities support environmentally
friendly goods and combat those that are environmentally harmful.

The country also hosted the CSD Inter-sessional Symposium on Economic Instruments for
Sustainable Development in 1995. Through the use of economic instruments, attention is
paid not only to the big polluters but also to households. Households are often located in
urban areas with higher health risks of air pollution. Households have been subsidized to
switch from (brown) coal to (natural) gas or another kind of cleaner fuel. For
example, in 1995, the Ministry of Environment concluded such an agreement with the
Association of Manufacturers of Washing Powders for the gradual reduction of
environmentally harmful substances from their products. As the first post-Communist
country to take such an initiative, the Czech Republic introduced an eco-labeling
programme in 1994. In 1995, 90 products had been granted the right to use an eco-label,
and several of the responsible companies reported a significant increase in the sales of
these products. In the near future, the Czech Republic's eco-labeling programme will be
harmonized with that of the Member States of the European Union.

An institutional framework for the Environmental Management System for enterprises was
established in 1996.

Challenges

No information is available

Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising

No information is available

Information

No information is available

Research and Technologies

Industries are encouraged to develop and introduce low-waste, low-emission,
low-power and resource-saving technologies as well as closed production cycles
and to manufacture environmentally friendly products. In addition, the
manufacturers' responsibility for the life-cycle of their products will be
gradually implemented.

Financing

No information is available

Cooperation

No information is available

* * *

This information was provided by the Government of the Czech Republic to
the 5th session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update: April
1997.

FINANCING

Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies

No information is available

Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations

The current system of economic instruments is based on the use of charges. There are
charges for disposing of waste water in the surface waters; charges for releasing harmful
emissions into the air; charges for land filling of waste; charges for the requisitions of
agricultural land; and charges for the withdrawal of groundwater. Revenues from these
charges are allocated to the State Environment Fund. In addition to these charges, tax
relief and allocations from the State Budget are granted for products and activities
meeting environmentally friendly criteria.

Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans

No information is available

Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement

No information is available

Programmes and Projects

The Environmental Remediation Programme was launched in 1993, and in the period 1993 to
1996, 473 projects were supported for a total amount of 372.4 million CZK (about 10.5 mil
USD). The main purpose of this programme is to support projects which serve the Ministry
of the Environment (MoE) in its decision-making. The MoE also supports projects in the
framework of the programme, Science and Research, which began in 1993 with four main
branches: (1) environmental risk assessment; (2) complex research of water and watersheds;
(3) nature conservation and landscape protection; and (4) geology.

In addition, support is given annually to about 180 NGO projects, chosen from about 600
applications. In 1996, this amounted to approximately 17.1 million CZK (about 0.5 mil
USD), ten percent of which was directly linked to the implementation of sustainable
development projects.

Status

The costs of compliance with present legal norms for air and water protection and waste
management - the three priorities of the State Environmental Policy - are estimated to be
at the level of CZK 400 billion. The costs to restore the most seriously damaged sites,
including the former Soviet military sites, are estimated to exceed CZK 56 billion.
According to the Ministry of the Environment, the total expenditures, both public and
private, should remain at the present level until the year 2000, and these levels should
reach at least CZK 25 billion per annum (in current prices).

The environmental expenditures from the State Budget soared during the initial
transformation and restructuring period (CZK 3.3 billion in 1990; CZK 7.8 billion in 1991;
CZK 10.8 billion in 1992), and are now decreasing (CZK 8.5 billion in 1995). Between 1990
and 1994, approximately 45% of all environmental expenditures in the Czech Republic were
spent on water pollution control (mainly on the construction of waste water treatment
plants), and roughly 40% was spent on air pollution control (on the development and
construction of equipment to reduce emissions and towards the reconstruction of power
plants, in particular).

Challenges

Pollution charges, as established under the previous legislation, were determined
without a thorough economic analysis of the relevant costs, and no provisions were
included to index these charges to inflation. As a result, the revenue derived from
pollution charges represents less than 20% of the total annual expenditure for
environmental protection. Other types of instruments to promote waste recycling such as
recycling premiums or deposit-refund systems have not been adequately utilized.

The tax relief structure to promote environmentally friendly behavior has not been
well coordinated with other policies, and as a result, in some cases, it has conflictedwith the intended objectives. The Government also faces the problem of making good
restituted agricultural properties.

Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising

No information is available

Information

No information is available

Research and Technologies

No information is available

Financing

In the Czech Republic, implementation of environmental policies is funded from the
State budget, the State Environment Fund, the National Property Fund, Private and
Semi-private funds, and Foreign Aid. The National Property Fund assists in addressing problems associated with previously
damaged sites. In the period 1992-1996, CZK 109.6 billion were guaranteed by the State to
privatized enterprises, and CZK 2 billion were paid. In 1997, the same amount of CZK 2
billion was expected to be paid.

The State Environmental Fund (SEF) was established in 1991 as an additional financial
resource for environmental protection. It operates in a similar way as in other countries,
supporting investment projects through direct allocations and soft loans. The financial
resources originate partly from the National Property Fund as well as from fines, fees and
other payments. For example, from 1994- 1997, CZK 6.1 billion was transferred from the
National Property Fund to the State Environment Fund to support the Air Recovery
Programme. This fund supports large projects on air and water protection, waste
management, on nature, landscape and soil protection and alternative energy sources. For
example, in 1996, the SEF accepted 955 applications for a total amount of CZK 12.1 billion
(approx. US$360 million) of which only about one third could be financed (about CZK 4.6
billion, about US$131 million).

Cooperation

The role of the private and semi-private sector in environmental funding has increased,
although the lack of medium and long-term credit and the demand for State guarantees by
many international financial institutions still has a negative impact on the potential
growth of the sector. Project investments indicate that the total annual expenditures of
the private sector will exceed CZK 10 billion annually between 1994 and 1998. In the
period 1990 - 1996, foreign aid represented merely CZK 12 billion, of which 7 billion was
a World Bank loan to CEZ for emission abatement in coal power plants, and CZK 2.34 billion
for PHARE programmes. In the period after 1994, technical aid has been substituted by
investments and this trend will continue in the near future.

* * *

This information was provided by the Government of the Czech Republic to the fifth
session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update: April
1997.

TECHNOLOGY

Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies

No information is available

Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations

In the framework of Phase I of implementation of measures to improve the air quality in
the Czech Republic, new, imported air-protection technology is being brought into
operation to comply with the requirements set forth by Act No. 212/1994 Coll. on State
administration of air protection and fees for air pollution; this technology has been
approved by the Czech Environmental Inspection agency for use within the territory of the
Czech Republic.

There is wide application of ISO 14 000 and EMAS procedures.

Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans

No information is available

Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement

The Czech Cleaner Production Centre is a non-governmental, non-profit and independent
organization. The Center is playing a catalytic and coordinating role in promoting cleaner
production in CR by: providing training, implementing demonstration projects, providing
policy advice, providing advice on financing mechanisms and being a source of information.

Programmes and Projects

No information is available

Status

The following technical facilities have been brought into operation:

equipment for sulphur removal from energy-production combustion equipment with the
semi-dry sulphur removal method and separation of solid pollutants;

equipment with fluid-bed sulphur-removal technology in a sorbent fluid bed;

atmospheric circulation fluid-bed furnace;

equipment employed for the combustion of solid fuels with the optional addition of
alkaline additive, equipped with an electrostatic separator of solid particles from the
combustion;

AFB equipment for atmospheric fluid-bed combustion of solid and additive fuels
equipped with a fluid-bed firebox and separator of solid substances from the combustion
products;

equipment fitted with technology for purification and sulphur-removal from the
combustion products by the wet method - using an aqueous suspension of finely ground
limestone, for energy-production facilities burning solid and liquid fuels without output;

equipment fitted with combustion-product purification technology for combustion of
solid communal waste using the method of conditioned dry sorption on a mixture of dry
calcium hydrate and additive coke, equipped with a filter for removing the sorbent with
selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxide; and

equipment with technology for purification of the combustion products from the
combustion of special and especially hazardous waste by the method of wet-dry sorption on
a suspension of finely ground limestone and additive coke in combination with wet
limestone scrubbing and selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides.

Challenges

No information is available

Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising

No information is available

Information

No information is available

Research and Technologies

No information is available

Financing

No information is available

Cooperation

No information is available

* * *

This information was provided by the Government of the Czech Republic to the
5th session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update: April
1997.

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies

Decision-making in this area is the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, the
Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of Health. The Commission for the
Environment of the Academy of Science of CR, Society for Sustainable Living and others
NGOs also participate in the decision-making.

Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations

Methodical guidelines for biotechnology safety mechanisms were prepared in
1994 and they are updated periodically. The law on genetically modified
organisms is in the preparatory stage.

Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans

Specific plans to promote the use of traditional and modern technologies are
in process.

Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement

No information is available

Programmes and Projects

No information is available

Status

The use of living organisms in any biotechnological processes requires permission from
the Ministry of Health, and the rules applied are very strict. Working with any health
endangered organisms needs special permission and strict rules must be followed;
monitoring takes place regularly.

A bioremediaton working group was established, and a number of private firms have been
established dealing with microbial decontamination of polluted waters and soils.

During the last few years the Grant Agencies in the Czech Republic have supported many
biotechnologically and environmentally directed projects.

Challenges

No information is available

Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising

No information is available

Information

No information is available

Research and Technologies

No information is available

Financing

No information is available

Cooperation

Cooperation takes place primarily through the multilateral initiative, EUREKA.

* * *

This information was provided by the Government of the Czech Republic to the fifth
session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update: April
1997.

The Czech Business Council for Sustainable Development, founded also in 1993, is a body
established by a number of Czech industrial companies. Its primary mission is to become a
leading business advocate for issues regarding sustainable development, to demonstrate and
share progress achieved in environmental management in businesses, and finally, to spread
results achieved in environmental protection, energy efficiency, sustainable resource
management and to prevent air, water and soil pollution as well as waste production.

Programmes and Projects

No information is available

Status

The restructuring of the industrial sector, namely outdated plants, has resulted in
reduction of emissions. Since 1986, the consumption of ozone depleting substances has
decreased by 88%. Current legislation stimulates industry to take remedial measures and to
invest in environmental improvements. Emission limits have also been established by law,
and the 1998 deadline for compliance with prescribed emission limits is projected to be
met by approximately 75% of polluters. However, the provisions concerning air pollution
are inadequate for providing sufficient incentives for industries to reduce emissions
and/or introduce pollution control techniques.

In addition to economic instruments, an effective instrument has been the negotiation
on voluntary agreements between the State administration and pollution producers. For
example, in 1995, the Ministry of Environment concluded such an agreement with the
Association of Manufacturers of Washing Powders for the gradual reduction of
environmentally harmful substances from their products. As the first post-Communist
country to take such an initiative, the Czech Republic introduced an eco-labeling
programme in 1994. In 1995, 90 products had been granted the right to use an eco-label,
and several of the responsible companies reported a significant increase in the sales of
these products. In the near future, the Czech Republic's eco-labeling programme will be
harmonized with that of the Member States of the European Union.

Challenges

No information is available

Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising

No information is available

Information

No information is available

Research and Technologies

No information is available

Financing

The role of the private and semi-private sector in environmental funding has increased,
although the lack of medium and long-term credit and the demand for State guarantees by
many international financial institutions still has a negative impact on the potential
growth of the sector. Project investments indicate that the total annual expenditures of
the private sector will exceed CZK 10 billion annually between 1994 and 1998. In the
period 1990 - 1996, foreign aid represented merely CZK 12 billion, of which 7 billion was
a World Bank loan to CEZ for emission abatement in coal power plants, and CZK 2.34 billion
for PHARE programmes. In the period after 1994, technical aid has been substituted by
investments and this trend will continue in the near future.

Cooperation

No information is available

* * *

This information was provided by the Government of the Czech Republic to the
5th session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update: April
1997.

TRANSPORT

Decision-Making: Coordinating
Bodies

Ministries of: Transport and Communications; Regional Development;
Finance; and Environment are the coordinating bodies.As of January 1, 2001, a considerable amount of decision-making in the
area of transport infrastructure is passing to the regional self-governing
units, including issues related to transport services.

Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations

The
following laws have been introduced in relation to aspects of the impact of
transport on the environment.

Number
of the ActName

114/1992
Coll.on protection of
nature and the landscape

218/1992
Coll.amending
and supplementing Act No. 309/1991 Coll., on protection of the air against
pollutants (the Clean Air Act)

302/1993
Coll.amending and supplementing Czech National Council Act No. 16/12993 Coll.,
on highway taxes, Czech National Council Act No. 337/1992 Coll., on
administration of taxes and payments, as amended by Czech National Council Act
No. 35/1993 Coll. and Act No. 157/1993 Coll., and Act No. 212/1992 Coll., on the
tax system

134/1994
Coll.amending and supplementing Act No. 135/1961 Coll., on roadways (the
Highway Act), as amended, and Czech National Council Act No. 200/1990 Col., on
misdemeanors, as amended

158/1994
Col.amending
and supplementing Act No. 309/1991 action of the air against pollutants (the
Clean Air Act), as amended by Act No. 218/1992 Coll., and Czech National Council
Act No. 389/1991 Coll., on the state administration in air protection and
payments for air pollution, as amended by Law No. 211/1993 Coll.

266/1994
Coll.on railways

38/1995
Coll.on technical conditions for the operation of highway vehicles on roadways

114/1995
Coll. on inland shipping

143/1996
Coll.amending and supplementing Czech National Council Act No. 16/193 Coll.,
on highway taxes, as amended

12/1997
Coll.on the safety and continuity of traffic on roadways

13/1997
Coll.on roadways

16/1997
Coll.on the conditions for
the import and export of endangered species of wild fauna and flora, and other
measures for the protection of these species andamending and supplementing Czech National Council Act No. 114/1992 Coll.,
on protection of nature and the landscape, as amended

83/1998
Coll.amending and supplementingAct
No. 50/1976 Coll., on land-use planning and the Construction Code (the
Construction Code), as amended, andamending
and supplementing some other Acts

157/1998
Coll.on chemical substances and chemical preparations and amending some other
Acts

352/1999
Col.amending Act No. 157/1998 Coll., on chemical substances and chemical
preparations and amending some other Acts, and some other Acts

353/1999
Coll.on prevention of serious accidents caused by selected hazardous chemical
substances and chemical preparations and amending Act No. 425/1990 Coll., on the
District Authorities, outlining their jurisdiction and some other related
measures, as amended (Act on prevention of serious accidents)

358/1999
Coll.amending Act No. 114/1995 Coll., on inland shipping, and Act No. 455/1991
Coll., on small businesses (the Small Business Act), as amended

23/2000
Coll.amending Act No. 266/1994 Coll., on railways

61/2000
Coll.on ocean shipping

102/2000
Coll.amending Act No. 13/1997 Coll., on roadways

104/2000
Coll.on the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure and amending Act No.
171/1991 Coll., on the jurisdiction of the authorities of the Czech Republic in
relation to transfer of state property to other persons and the National
Property Fund of the Czech Republic, as amended

146/2000
Coll.amending Act No. 49/1997 Coll., on civil aviation andamending and supplementing Act No. 455/1991 Coll., on small businesses
(the Small Business Act), as amended

Strategic
environmental impact assessment, SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment) will
be employed in evaluating strategic documents adopted by the Government of the
Czech Republic in the area of development of transport. The target of
implementation of the relevant rules and regulations, including motivation
mechanisms, is to ensure environmentally friendly transport.

Regulation
instruments:

+ a
suitable system of legal regulations and standards

+ a
system of taxes and payments, tariffs and prices

+
public budgets, incl. financial assistance

+
state participation in businesses, incl. implementation of a set role

+
obligations following from international agreements.

The
public participates in the process in the form of discussion of EIA documents
and expert reports, both individually and organized through civic initiatives.
In formulating a standpoint on transport projects, the responsible authority
(Ministry of Environment, District Authorities) also take into public opinion
account.

Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans

The
strategy of the transport system in CR is uniform and based on the basic
objectives of the Transport Policy of CR.This
strategy for freedom of sustainable mobility of persons and materials as a
necessary attribute of compliance with the requirements of the Charter of Basic
Rights and Freedoms and the requirements of free trade and optimum support for
sustainable development through suitable molding of the transport system. The
strategy of sustainable means of transport with support environmentally sound
means and reduction of unsound means is directed towards this target.

The transport policy of the Czech Republic and other strategic documents
related to the development of transport, such as the Development of the
Transport Network of the Czech Republic to the year 2010 and the Medium-term
Development of Transport, are deliberated in the framework of Strategic
Environmental Assessment (SEA) in a broad range of civic initiatives, in
particular those concerned with the environmental impact of transport. Attempts
are exerted to achieve a consensus of opinion in this area.

The
basic targets for development of transportation are set by the Transport Policy
of the Czech Republic approved by the Government of the Czech Republic and other
strategic documents and the system of transport regulations. The district and
regional structures and relevant ministries prepare documents in close
cooperation.

Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement

The
most urgent requirement seems to be the need to improve transportation services
in Northern Moravia in the regions of Šumperk, Jeseníky and Bruntál. In
addition, there is a need for better railway and highway connections in the
Jeseníky area, which is a specific area separated from the rest of the country
by mountain missives. The private sector participates through the state
administration (Districts and, after 2001, the Regions) and the Ministries in
these processes related to transport. For example, in the area of highway
transport, the Česmad Bohemia association has been created, expressing a
standpoint on new legislation related to transport in the Czech Republic and
other aspects of transport.

Programmes and Projects

In
1998, the Government of CR adopted the "State program to support energy
savings and utilize renewable energy sources". This also includes the
"Program of state support for energy-saving measures in transport". At
the present time, the Ministry of Transport and Communications is completing a
project (1996 - 2000) entitled "The economic benefits of conversion of
automobile transport to gas". On this basis, further developmentis expected in the existing
projects concerned with conversion of bus transport in urban mass transport to
gas. For this purpose, internal combustion motors are being reconstructed or
newly produced for compressed natural gas fuel.The operation of cars powered by propane-butane or natural
gas is extensive. Recently, tests have been carried out on powering locomotives
and track motor vehicles using biodiesel fuel in railway transport and this is
being introduced into practice.Furthermore,
extensive use of powering of internal combustion motors using alternative fuels
is currently prevented by the tax burden.

In
addition to improvement of transport services, facilitating development in a
region, and increasing the numbers of jobs, the creation of transport
infrastructure is concerned with decreasing the environmental burden through a
decrease in the indicators of specific fuel consumption and emission production,
greater through-put of vehicles and increased traffic safety.The Government of CR adopted the "State program to support energy
savings and utilize renewable energy sources", which emphasizes technical
measures, including construction, to decrease energy intensity and use of
renewable and secondary sources.

The
Government of the Czech Republic has approved the document “Development of the
transport network in the Czech Republic to the year 2010“ to provide for
further development in transport services; this document fully respects
international and domestic requirements in provision for mobility.In the area of urban transport, the state supports gradual extension of
mass transport through contributions from the state budget to the operation and
renewal of vehicles. For example, the Government of the Czech Republic has
adopted the "Program of support for renewal of the vehicles of urban mass
transport and public transportation lines after 2001". Amongst other
things, this includes financial support from the state.

There
has been a marked development in transport infrastructure, and railway corridors
are being reconstructed and gradually completed, as agreed in the framework of
the accepted obligations for construction of the European railway network. A
network of superhighways is
gradually being built, and currently has a length of about 500 km, which is
expected to be doubled by 2010. Support for alternative fuels on the part of MTC,
prepared tax systems favoring environmentally sound fuels for internal
combustion motors in transport conversion
of public and partly individual transport to gas more extensive use of
catalyzes: to decrease emissions of CO, NOx, HC. It is permitted to
import only those motor vehicles that comply with the conditions laid down by
ECE/UN.support from MTC CR for the
use of alternative sources of energy in transport systems, incorporated into
strategic and concept documents support for the production of internal
combustion motors powered by the currently most commonly available alternative
fuels.Implementation of a network
of cyclist routes in large cities and outside them, to be carried out gradually,
and support for pedestrian transport.

Status

Transport
services are at a suitable level in urban areas. Nonetheless, they are gradually
being improvedin an attempt to
reduce individual automobile transport.Transport
services are not sufficiently extensive in some rural regions. The
Government, Ministry of Transport and Communications and the regions are making
concentrated attempts to ensure a gradual improvement in transport services.

The
extent of the highway and railway network is more or less satisfactory from the
standpoint of interconnection of the individual areas. The extent of air
transport, concentrated almost exclusively on foreign connections, has a density
and volume that corresponds to the needs of the country. At the present time,
water transport corresponds to a small fraction of thetotal transport volume.The
main difficulty lies in the quality particularly of lower category highway
networks. The bodies of the state administration in their entire structure are
now concerned with eliminating this problem.

In the transport sector, the number of motor vehicles rose by 30% between 1989 and
1994, and internal and inter-State transport has increased. At the same time, the growth
in sales of unleaded petrol, and the reduction in levels of lead in regular petrol have
resulted in a reduction of approximately 75% in lead emissions. In addition, 7-8% of motor
vehicles were equipped with catalytic converters in 1994.

Automobile
petrol - overall consumption continues to increase from 1184 thous. t in 1990 to
2065 thous. t in 1999; however, the consumption of leaded petrol is decreasing
and the proportion of unleaded petrol is increasing aviation fuel - decreasing
consumption: from 256 thous. t in 1999 to 148 thous. t in 1997; however, since
then it has again increased to the current 166 thous. tons. diesel fuel -
consumption is approximately the same as in 1990 biofuels, LPG, CNG -
consumption has been rapidly increasing since 1995

In
the framework of adopted measures and on the basis of a legal regulation, the
distribution and sale of leaded automobile petrol was terminated in CR as of
Jan. 1, 2001.

Total emissions from transport in 1999

Kind
of transport

Pollutant

CO2

CO

N2O

NOx

CH4

NM
VOC

SO2

Pb

PM

thous.
ton

tons

IAD

4739

175

712

987

57911

1481

49400

588

103

246

Highway
public passenger

105

1602

28

2566

39

395

72

0

82

Highway
freight

4409

72395

125

105 810

321

18123

2910

11

3321

Mass
transport - buses

140

1791

41

2220

56

429

95

0

110

Railway
motor

277

3825

435

7077

27

917

202

0

234

Water

31

431

85

798

5

103

23

0

26

Air

273

5397

663

1522

45

326

31

3

0

Total

9976

261 153

2364

177 904

1975

69693

3921

117

4019

The implementation of reduction measures at the level of the Ministry of
Transport and Communications and the regions has led to a gradual decrease in
the specific values for most air pollutant emissions. Nonetheless, the increase
in highway transport has led to a slight increase in emissions of carbon dioxide
and nitrogen oxides.

Challenges

The
railways and introduction of integrated transport systems that are friendlier to
the environment require the maximum attention at the present time to improve
transport economics. It is necessary to pay attention not only to optimization
and reconstruction of the main railway tracks, but also to direct investments
into regional and local tracks that participate in transport services in the
regions.The greatest emphasis must
be placed on highway transport in decreasing damage to ecological systems. In
this respect, attempts are made to decrease this proportion, especially in the
framework of DEA and EIA procedures and elimination of other risks related with
traffic.

In
relation to economic reasons, the development of more economical transport is
prevented by the lack of internalization of external costs to date, in
comparison of highway, railway and water transport. More realistic developments
of the railway transport network is prevented by conditions embedded in the
historical development of the Czech Republic, geographical and navigational
aspects of the water ways.

The
main obstacle in decreasing emissions is the development of highway transport -
both freight and passenger.The harmful effects of transport are manifested most in the sector of
forestry and agriculture and, from the social health point of view, in the
health sector.

Capacity-building,
Education, Training and Awareness-raising

Various
forms of information is shared with the general public on a regular basis with
an effort to influence the opinions of individuals towards the use of public
transport instead of individual automobile.Safety and awareness campaigns such as "Days without cars" are
organized in relation to risks involved with motorists through the mass media,
lectures, meetings with citizens, etc. are utilized to support these steps.More extensive use of mass transport is encouraged through
subsidies on the prices of tickets at the level of the state and regions. The
frequency of transport links, extended traffic limitations for automobiles in
cities, the use of park-and-ride parking lots, the further construction of
bicycle routes and pedestrian zones, etc. are gradually being developed.

The
"Government program for safety in highway transport" has been adopted.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications in cooperation with the Ministry of
Education, Youth and Physical Education provides for projects to increase
highway safety at schools. The mass media are extensively used and control by
state authorities is being increased.In
the framework of teaching at schools, children and youth are regularly
instructed, in accord with the teaching program, with emphasis especially on
traffic safety and the environmental impact of transport.In the framework of extra-curricular activities, education of children
and youth is carried out through lectures and practical exercises, concerned
particularly with the system of teaching and training and the behavior of
cyclists. About 600 thous. children and young people attend this training
annually. Radio programs are also utilized for this purpose.

The
Ministry of Transport and Communications does not organize these programs, but
supports them through private organizations constituting the training centers.In the framework of support from PHARE, a chain of training
centers has been created for highway transport, whose program is in accord with
the EU Directives. On this
basis certificates are issued on professional qualification to drivers in truck
transport, passenger transport, drivers transporting hazardous goods (according
to the ADR Agreement) and safety counselors.

Information

The
aspect of collection of data on the transport sector in CR is the responsibility
at the top level of the Czech Statistical Office and the Ministry of Transport
and Communications. The Czech Statistical Office provides information of a
cross-sectional character, that is necessary for drawing up the national
accounts and evaluation of the national economy as a whole. The Ministry of
Transport and Communications, through its sectoral statistical statements
(pursuant to the Act on the State Statistical Service of 1995) and use of the
central register and database, provides all the necessary summary information of
a factual nature (infrastructure, transport fleet, transport outputs, etc.).
Collection of statistical data on accidents in highway traffic is the
responsibility of the Directorship of Traffic Police and statistical data on the
transport fleet of highway vehicles are processed in the Central Register of
Vehicles of the Ministry of the Interior. Statistical information expressing the
environmental burden from the individual kinds of transport is processed by the
Center for Transport Research.

Emissions
polluting the air, produced by means of transport, are constantly monitored. The
values obtained are processed annually in reports on the environment for the
Government and Parliament and are published for the information of the general
public. In addition, they are also published in the professional journals of the
sector and are especially given in the Transport Yearbook.Signs and information related especially to highway traffic are located
wherever required.

Research and Technologies

The Ministry of Transport and Communications consistently provides
support for the development of alternative fuels in means of transport. This
trend is in accord with the Transport Policy of the Czech Republic and the State
Environmental Policy.

Regulation
of the speed of highway vehicles in the residential parts of cities and towns
signaling equipment permitting vehicles to drive on a "green wave" new
signaling and safety equipment on less heavily used railway tracks, including
the possibility of central dispatchers directing traffic conversion to
electricity, construction and modernization of current traction equipment
(powering and switching stations, compensation lines) on railway tracks that are
demanding on traction and heavily used new information, signaling and safety
equipment in urban mass transport systems; introducing the right-of-way of trams
at controlled intersections, use of remote sensing and control systems
improvement of the control and homing systems in air transport.

On
the basis of the Government approved Transport Policy of the Czech Republic, the
transport sector supports and develops the following priorities in research and
development:

+ forecasting trends in transport on the basis of modern methods

+ introduction of advanced transport technology using logistics, remote
sensing and control and global navigation systems

+ development of mobile means of transport with very modern and
environmentally sound parameters

+ increasing traffic safety and reliability

+ decreased emissions of pollutants, noise, congestion and wastes

+ development and application of alternative fuels and energy, use of
renewable sources of energy in transport

+ improving the qualitative parameters of transport routes

+ support for inter-operability of conventional and rapid transport
railways

+ development of modern safety systems

+ optimizing of traffic control and development of information systems

+ application and development of economic instruments of transport
policy.

Financing

Approved
expenditures from the state budget in the Czech Republic in the year 2000 627
336 000 thous. CZK.

Expenditures
from the budgetary chapter of the Ministry of Transport and Communications 27
294 652 thous. CZK.

Expenditures
for the investment program 13 838 499 thous. CZK

Expenditures
for the investment program correspond to about 51% of the budgetary chapter of
the Ministry of Transport and Communications and about 2% of expenditures from
the state budget

Expenditures for research and development in
transport190 115 thous.
CZK

The
following financial sources were available in 2000 to increase the volume of
investments in the transport sector

- Loan from the European Investment Bank3 646 482 thous. CZK

- PHARE1 185 647 thous. CZK

- domestic temporary credit7 345 037 thous. CZK

At
the present time, consideration is being given to the potential of providing for
construction of a super highway section utilizing private capital means.

Cooperation

The
Czech Republic participates actively in international cooperation in the area of
the environmental impacts of transport. This is the "Program of joint
projects" and other outcomes of the Regional ECE/UN conference on transport
and the environment (Vienna 1997) and subsequent deliberations in the framework
of the UN. The document "Charter on transport the environment and
health" from the third WHO Ministerial conference (London, 1999) is also
relevant here. Measures from these documents are gradually incorporated into the
strategic documents of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the
Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Health.

The relevant laws and regulations are regularly updated for the purpose
of harmonization with the EU Directives

Emission
standards, safety regulations and conditions for operation are set for the
individual means of transport (highway, railway, water and air transport)
through regulations and standards accepted by international transport
organizations. The Czech Republic accepts these rules and modifies them
regularly with developments in these criteria and conditions adopted by these
organizations.In the framework of
the transport policy of the Czech Republic, a further development of the
environmental impact assessment system for transport infrastructure in the EIA
(Environmental Impact Assessment) procedure is expected to include transboundary
impacts (Espoo Convention). Thus every international agreement in the area of
transport will be assessed beforehand in its strategy and implementation
versions and plans for construction or fundamental reconstruction of super
highways, highways, railways, cable car routes, water routes including ports for
inland shipping and airports will be assessed.

In
addition, the transport sector participates in carrying out tasks following from
the "Framework UN Convention on Climate Change" and the "Strategy
for protection of the climate system of the Earth", adopted by the
Government of the Czech Republic in 1999. In this sense, the main tasks of the
Ministry of Transport and Communications consist in:

+
development and introduction of means of transport for highway, railway, water
and air transport, corresponding to the standards laid down by the relevant
international bodies for the area of environmental impact and safety

+
preference for non-motorized kinds of transport through creation of the relevant
infrastructure

+
modification of the system of highway transport and development of alternative
means of powering vehicles.

Commitments
of the Czech Republic in the area of the relation between transport and the
environment and human health, related on an international scale to ECE/UN and
WHO, have already been mentioned. Another key commitment of the Czech Republic
consists in implementing the conclusions adopted by the Conference of European
Ministers of Transport (CEMT). The last meeting (Prague, May 2000)established as basic points in the meeting, amongst others,
the aspect of sustainable development in transport, harmonization in transport,
integration (including the procedure for implementing the conclusions of the
third Helsinki Pan-European Conference) and reform of the railways.

The
following conclusions and decisions were adopted in the part related to
sustainable development in transport

+ on a
sustainable transport policy

+ on
the declaration on safety in highway traffic for vulnerable road users
(pedestrians, cyclists)

+ and
recommendations on water transport over short distances that could replace land
transport.

In
addition to permanent monitoring of the burden on the environment from
transport, the Ministry of Transport and Communications has also prepared a
forecast of future trends in relation to the individual components of the
environment. The data processed to date cover the time period to the year 2020.
This takes into account trends following from newly adopted lawsin the framework of harmonization with EU law and from a set of measures,
conditions and standards that have gradually been adopted to reduce the burden
on the environment from transport. This respects the targets to decrease the
burden on the environment from transport, laid down in international agreements
for the European region.

* * *

This information was provided by the Government of the Czech Republic to the
5th and 9th Sessions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update:
March 2001.

Recreational activities do not yet exceed the acceptable levels, except for the
Krkonose National Park. An estimate of the number of visitors to Krkonose National Park is
8 million per year. Eco-tourism is been developed.

The Krkonose and Sumava Biosphere Reserves are taking part in a project financed by the
Global Environmental Facility, through the World Bank. The main objective of the project
is to develop effective management techniques and model conservation programmes that would
effectively address increasing threats, and allow control of the number of visitors.

Challenges

No information is available

Capacity-building, Education, Training
and Awareness-raising

No information is available

Information

No information is available

Research and Technologies

No information is available

Financing

No information is available

Cooperation

No information is available

* * *

This information was provided by the Government of the Czech Republic to the
5th session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update: April
1997.